Electrically-driven periodically-moving mechanism



U b 1 L Feb. 17, 1925.

C. D. J. JAMlN, yJR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PERIODICALLY MOVING MECHANS Filed sept. 22. 1922 2 sheets-25mm: 1

Feb. 17, l1925.

1,527,140 c. D. J. JAMIN, JR

ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PERIODICALLY MOVING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 22,1922

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 17, 1925,.

CORNELIS D. J. JAMIN, JR., OF ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

ELECTRIGALLY-DRVEN PEBIODICALLY-MOVING MEGHANISM.

Application filed September 22, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ConNnLis DENIS JOSEPH JAMIN, J r., a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Rotterdam,

Province ot South Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, and temporarily residing at lresden, Neustadt, Saxony, Republic of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Electrically-Driven Periodically-Moving Mechanisms, ot which the following is a specitication.

The present invention relates to electrically driven periodically moving` mechanisms, such as principal clocks, auxiliary clocks, rocking devices for advertisement-apparatus, wash-troughs for photographers and chemists, etc., and has for its object to construct the electric driving means with the smallest possible number ot members.

According to this invention the controlling member of the clock-work, which may consist of a pendulum, a. balance wheel, or the like, or the spring, or the weight operating the mechanism is periodically operated, or wound up, or impelled by means of the deformations of a conducting member, whichv is periodically heated by an electric current.

When the invention is applied to a principal clock, the cont-rolling member may be made to close two contacts alternately, one contact being closed while swinging in one direction, and the other while swinging in the opposite direction, said two contacts being arranged in the circuit of the previously mentioned conducting member and in a shunt respectively, the arrangement being such, that the two circuits are never open at the same time.

The following are the advantages obtained by the invention:

1. The construction of the electric driving mechanism is extremely simple and therefore the manufacturing costs are low.

2. The working of the mechanism is noiseless.

3. The mechanismmay be drive-n not only by direct'current but also by alternating current of arbitrary voltage. A

4. The mechanism may be used for several purposes.

5. The fitting up of the mechanism does not require particular accuracy.

In the accompanying drawings several Serial No. 589,914.

constructional forms of the invention are diagrammatically shown.

Fig. 1 shows a constructional torni having a stretched wire for conducting member and a single contact.

Fig. 2 shows a modiiication having a double contact and a shunt circuit.

Fig. is a modiiication with a conducting member consisting partly ot a stretched wire and partly ot a coiled spring.

Fig. et is a modiiication with a conducting member consisting solely ot a coiled spring.

Fig. 5 is a moditicationhaving the con ducting member stretched between two fixed points.

Fig. 6 shows an application of the invention to clockwork having a balance wheel.

Referring to Figure 1, 1 is a pendulum having an adjustable weight 2, pivotally secured at the point 3. rlhe pendulum 1 is' provided with an electric contact 4, which when swinging to the lett abuts against a contact spring 5, which causes a circuit to be closed.

When the pendulum 1 swings to the right, it presses against a resilient member (i, with which it is constant-ly in contact. Said resilient member 6 is pivoted about a point 7 and is provided with an arm 8 at the end ot which one end ot a stretched conducting wire 9 is mechanically secured in such a way as to be insulated tlieretrom. This end ot the wire 9 is moreover electrically connected through a flexible cable 2O with the contact spring 5, while the other end of the wire 9 is connected to a stationary part ot the clockwork.

The electric current may be taken from the mains 10, which may supply direct current or alternating current. One 01"' the two mains is connected by means ot a wire 11 to the point of suspension 3 ot the pendulum, while a second wire 12 connects the other main with a point of the conductor 9 lying in close proximity to the fixed point of at- 100 tachment of said conductor 9.

The working of the device is as follows.

When the pendulum swings to the left, the electric contact 4, 5 is closed, in consequence whereof a circuit is formed, current flowing 105 from one of the mains 10, through the wire 11, and then through 3, Il, 5, 9 and 12 to the opposite main. The wire 9 is heated and eX- pands, so that the arm 8 rotates in anticlock-wise direction about the point 7 against the tension in the spring 6. The circuit is kept closed till, the pendulum 1 again in its neutral-l positin. When the pendulum swings to the right it gradually presses the lower end of the spring 6 towardsthe right sidewards, so that "the tension in the wire 9 gradually increases. At the same time-this wire gradually cools again since no current is at this time passing through it. The arm 8 is thus pulled down, so that for this reason also the -retarding moment acting upon the pendulum gradually increases after the energy ofV thependulum is exhausted, it returns to its neutral position under the influence of gravity and of the pressure ot the spring 6 exerted thereon, till all parts have returned to the positionshown in VFigure 1, whereupon the above described Voperation is repeated.

In Figure 2 the saine device is shown, but with theA difference that in addition to the contact 4 the pendulum 1 at the right hand side isiprovided.V with a second contact 13, co-operating with a contact 14. From. this contact a wire leads to a. current consuming device, for example a resistance or a solenoid and from this back to a point on the wire 12.

The arrangement is such, that the two contacts 4, 5 and 13, 14, are both closed when thel pendulum is in its central position.

The object of this arrangement is, firstly, to prevent the formation of sparks at the breaking of the cont-act 4, 5 and further to Jform a seco-nd circuit 15, which may be used for operating one or more auxiliary clocks, or the mechanism driving the hands of the principalclock, or may be used in order to double the d-rivingforce by means Vot a second symmetrical-ly positioned conducting member. This duplication of the driving forcemay for example be of use in the case of a clock havingto perform the work of striking and therefore requiring more energy. n

The arrangement shown in Figure 3 differs from that shown in Figures 1 and 2 in, that the resilient member, which is in the form of a coiled spring. 146, also forms part of the conducting member. The remaining part of the conducting member consists of a thin stretched wire 9, whilst the complete conducting member is stretched between two fixed points of the clock-work casing. The pendulum 1V is provided with a iixed insulated projection 26, which, when thev pendulum swings to the right displaces. the wire 9,-so that thetension in'this wire and also in the `spring 1 6 Vincreases'. Otherwise the woilring 0:;A this device. is the same as that of the devicesshown in the Figures 1 andi 2f.

lin the case. ot the arrangement shown in Eignre; 4 the.' conductingL member "pro-per consists solely of a coiledgspring,r 91 through wich the current periodically passes, one .Badi et said.Springv being. mechanically con.-

nected to an arm 6 of the pendulum, but electrically insulated therefrom, and the other end ot' said spring being mechanically connected to a xed point ot the clock casing. The working of this device also is the same as that of the devices already described. "i

In the case of the arrangement shown in Figure 5, the conducting member again consists of a wire 9, stretched between two stationary points.y The pendulum acts upon this member by means of a spring member 61, which `for example by means of a forked end engages on the wire 9. rlie working of this arrangement is also identical with that of the devices described above.

In the case of a clock with a balance wheel, as shown in Figure 6, the balance wheel 21, is mounted upon a spindle 31 provided with a contact pin r41, which when the balance wheel swings in `one direction comes into contact with the contact spring 51. .Asciilcuit containing the stretched wireA 9 is closed thereby. v@ne end of this wire A9 is connected to a fixed point and the other end of the wire acts upon alever', comprising a rigid arm 81 anda resilient arm 66, the' whole* lever being' pivoted about the point 71. Y

he upperiend of the arm 66 acts upcn the balance wheel by means of a thin ywire 17, wound upon'a drum 19.011 the spindle of the bala-nce wheel.V i Y 'i rlhe Loscillating movements of this shaft are counter-acted in both directions by ua coiled spring 18. The voperation 4ot' this arrangement is analogous. to that of the previous devices. i Y' Y Though the drawing only shows the Yapplication of the invention to principal clocks, it will be understood, that the present invention also applies to the driving of Yelectric auxiliary clocks. In this case the 'periodical: electric currents controlled by the principal clock are passed through a stretched wire or spiral thread. which in consequence thereof undergoes periodi-cal changes in its length, and this 'is used 'tor imparting energy to an oscillating member, in the same way as is described with refer; ence toprincipal clocks.

The said oscillating` member, whose natural period of oscillation should be approximately equal to that ot the pendulum of the principal clock, may then be used to directly or indirectly operate the mechanism driving the hands ofthe auxiliary clock.

What I claim is: Y'

1. An electrically driven `mechanism hav-- ing periodicaly movement, comprisingv means capable of a definite period of movement, an electric conductor adapted; to bey periodically heated, connected with a source ofelectric current and so connected with the means that deformation of the conducto-r causes -a constant `periodic movement of.' saidimeans.

2. An electrically driven mechanism having periodical movement, comprising means capable of a definite period of movement, an electric circuit, a contact connected with the means and in said circuit, a second contact spaced from the first mentioned contact and connected with the circuit, an electric conductor in the circuit adapted to be periodically heated and connected with the means capable of a definite period of movement, said means being adapted to close the contacts when moved in one direction.

3. An electrically driven mechanism having periodical movement, comprising means capable of a dei'inite period of movement, an electric conductor adapted to be periodically heated, connected with a source of electric current and so connected with said means that deformation of the conductor causes a constant periodic movement of the means, said conductor which is adapted to be heated consisting of a thin metal wire under tension and a resilient means connecting said conductor with said means.

el. An electrically driven mechanism having periodical movement, means capable of a definite period of movement, an electric conductor in the form of a metal spring adapted to be periodically heated and connected with a source of electric current, and rigid means connecting the irst mentioned means with the conductor whereby deformation of the conductor when heated causes a constant periodic movement of the first mentioned means.

5. An electrically driven mechanism having periodical movement, comprising means capable ot a definite period of movement, an electric conductor adapted to be periodically heated, connected with a source of electric current and so connected with said means that deformation of the conductor causes a constant periodic movement of the means, a circuit breaker operated by the deformation of the conductor for cutting oit' the current to permit said member to be returned to its other position whence the ciry cuit is closed.

6. An electrically driven mechanism having periodical movement, means capable of a definite period of movement, an electric conductor in the form of a metal spring adapted to be periodically heated and connected with a source of electric'current, and rigid means connecting the lirst mentioned means with the conductor whereby -deformation of the co-nductor when heated causes a constant periodic movement of the first mentioned means, a circuit breaker operated by the deformation ot the conductor for cutting off the current to permit said member` to be returned to its other position whence the circuit is closed.

7. An electrically driven mechanism comprising an oscillating means adapted to have a deiinite period of movement, an electric circuit, a shunt circuit, a conducting member adapted to be periodically heated, pairs of contacts, two of the contacts being connected with the oscillating means, the other contacts being placed respectively in the main circuit and the shunt circuit, the arrangement being such that the last mentioned contact is adapted to close the circuits alternately with the conducting member being in the main circuit whereby two circuits are never open at the same time.

8. An electrically driven mechanism comprising an oscillating means adapted to have a definite period of movement, an electric circuit, a shunt circuit, a conducting member adapted to be periodically heated, pairs of contacts, two of the contacts being connected with the oscillating means, the other contacts being placed respectively in the main circuit and the shunt circuit, the arrangement being such that the last mentioned contact is adapted to close the circuits alternately with the conducting member being in the main circuit whereby two circuits are never open at the same time, in combination with a driving mechanism for operating the hands of a clock or the striking mechanism of said clock and in which the shunt circuit serves rvto operate the mechanism driving the hands of the clock and the striking mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

C. D. J. JAMIN, JR. Witnesses:

DR. A. MUELLER, J. WERNER CUDRY. 

